Students, Teachers Combine For 'One Big Happy Family'

May 23, 1986|by GEOFF GEHMAN, The Morning Call

Since January, more than 80 students at the Holland Township, N.J., Elementary School have been learning to create a musical from a child's perspective.

The emotional material of "One Big 'Happy' Family," which ends a three- performance run at 7:30 today in the school's auditorium, comes from the young creators' dealings with the threat of divorce. The structure comes from teachers Barbara Palleria and Frank Kozare, who received many tips from members of the education department of the Metropolitan Opera.

Last summer Palleria and Kozare attended at Stockton State College in Pomona, N.J., a 10-day workshop on inventing a musical production with elementary-school pupils. The Holland Township school was one of nine in a program sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera Guild and the New Jersey Council on the Arts. In addition to sessions with American school districts, the Guild last year sent officials to London.

According to Palleria, the Met representatives "suggested that we do something on the kids' level. If they're going to write characters, they should write characters their own age. If they write music, they should be interested in children their own age."

The novice writers developed a narrative centered around the children of a couple in the process of separating. Each creator contributed a character. All the characters are children - brothers, sisters, friends.

"There are no parents," explains Palleria, who teaches basic skills for the 4th and 5th grades. "This play is about separation, and how children cope with the fear of divorce. A number of children come from broken homes, and those who don't at least have had some fear about being separated from their parents."

Kozare, an 8th-grade science teacher, added chords to student melodies and lyrics. A keyboard player for school ensembles and functions, he provides the accompaniment for "One Big 'Happy' Family." He also helped with set construction and production management. Palleria advised on acting, writing, set design and posters.

Every component, however, was assembled and refined by youngsters. Seventh and 8th-graders served as electricians, carpenters, painters, lighting designers and operators, artists and publicity chiefs. An 8th-grader worked as production manager. "There are no stars," says Palleria, who added that there also are no writers doubling as actors.

The Met will host a trip by the creators and their teachers to view one of its productions. Palleria expects she, Kozare and their charges also will review at least one of the elementary-school musicals which came out of last summer's workshop.